@mvanfosson: "My son came home from college today and was working on his 
computer.  He rebooted it (for some reason) and when it 
tried to boot up, he got a message that said...
Windows could not start because the following file is 
missing or corrupt: <Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.  
Please re-install a copy of the above file.
He is running Windows XP  I am not very familiar with 
this version (and apparently he isn't either).  He has 
a "DOS Boot Disk", but it only allows you to get to the A 
Prompt.  When you use the DOS Boot Disk it doesn't allow 
him to see the C drive.
Can you tell me how to re-install a copy of the file, 
without being able to boot the computer?  Sounds like a 
catch-22 to me, but then I am not very smart.
Please help.
Very Respectfully,
Marion"
    @dknox: "You'll need to do a repair installation, since there are different versions
of the HAL.DLL file, and which one to use is determined by your hardware.
See <url> Win XP Tips, How To Do a Repair Installation.
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
<url>
Associate Expert
ExpertZone - <url>
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
news:7ced01c3b48e$ba75bda0$<email_address>
<quote>"
    @PABear: "See this page, Marion:
<url> 
HTH...Please post back to this thread
~Robear Dyer (aka PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE), AH-VSOP
Protect Your PC
<url>
<quote>"
    @Mvanfosson: "Thanks, I'll go to that website.
VR,
Marion
<quote>
different versions
by your hardware.
Installation.
his
A"
    @anonymous: "I am not sure that you can install that file by its self. 
The best path would be to install windows again over the
top of the broken one.  And if that doesnt work, format the
fresh install."
    @ssengupta_: "Hi!
you may try:-<url>
if you still face problem then go for a repair install.
This may be handy:-<url>
regards.
ssg MS-MVP
pronetworks.org
<quote>"
    @alexnmvpdts: "<quote>
That is a misleading message.  There is a corruption of the boot,ini
file on the disk, which says where to look for the Windows folder to
load system components, and something has happened so it is looking in
the wrong place.  Hal.dll just happens to be the first file it looks
for.
If you have an XP CD you can Set the BIOS to boot CD before Hard Disk.
Boot the XP CD and, instead of Setup, take the immediate R for Repair.
Assume any password requested is blank, and TAB over. Give the command
BootCfg  /Rebuild
If you do not have a CD handy, you could do it manually from the DOS
boot disk that you have.  Go to <url> and download from the
free tools the EDITBINI program -  nu all from the zip; put it on the
floppy and boot it.  Run
EDITBINI
and make the file look like
[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP" /
Note that /fastdetect is part of the last line
This assumes that the system is installed in C:\WINDOWS on the first (or
only) partition of the drive.  If there is further trouble, try
adjusting the partition(1) in two places to 2 3 or 4
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K.  <email_address> (remove the D8 bit)"
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